"We're still making youthful mistakes, but are playing better," Atholton coach Jim Albert said. "We played well against Wilde Lake, getting an early lead and then winning at the end after Wilde Lake had rallied."

Sophomore point guard Brian Benden leads the team in scoring with a 12.3 average.

The Raiders still have a shot at making the regional playoffs for the 11th time during Albert's 13-year coaching reign. They are seventh and need to catch Carver for the sixth and final playoff spot.

Hinkle says Allmond may be the best junior-varsity player in the league.

Allmond also averages 6.0 assists and 9.0 steals.

Freshman Nat Watkins is the team's fifth starter. Freshman Matt Hahn and sophomore Chad Patterson come off the bench and play a lot. Patterson averages 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals.

The Raiders rallied from 14 down in the first quarter to beat Wilde Lake on Friday by four points.

A 1-3-1 half-court trap was the key to beating the Wildecats.

"We take a lot of pride in our defense," Hinkle said.

Expanded playoffs?

Proposals to expand the regional baseball and soccer playoffs from four to six teams have passed state association committees on the sports and are to be discussed by the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association executive committee, which meets today.

Atholton soccer coach Reg Hahne wrote the soccer proposal, and Atholton athletic director Don Van Deusen wrote the one for baseball.

"The expansion would give decent teams that play tough schedules a chance at the playoffs," Hahne said.

He mentioned Howard High's boys soccer team as one that should have made the playoffs last fall but didn't because it plays in a tough league.

Another plus for expansion is that smaller schools would have an easier time scheduling larger schools.

Atholton, which will drop from 3A to 2A starting next fall, is struggling to fill its 12-game schedule.

"Larger schools don't want to play us because of the point system," Hahne said.

A win against a 4A school is worth eight points, but a win against a 1A school is worth only five. Kennedy (3A) and Meade (4A) dropped Atholton from their soccer schedules for next fall.